19 Responses to “Doctor: “I wouldn’t depend on the staffing in the hospitals tomorrow.””

To the SCABS:
You are the lowest form of a human being that I can think of! You are parasites and mercenaries! You sell your souls for money! You make me sick to my stomach! Go ahead and get your blood money… Remember that there is karma in this life and you are earning yours now. What a poor example of behavior you set. You have to get up in the morning and look yourself in the mirror! Do you even have a conscious? You should all be ashamed of yourselves! You surrender whatever integrity that you might even have… the minute you cross our MNA picket lines! Shame on you! What kind of upbringing did you have? Must make your parents want to hang their heads and cry… Did they teach you the difference between right and wrong? Personally, you make me sick. But not sick enough to ever let one of you ever touch me or one of my family members or friends. Did you just see where the expert MD just said that she highly questioned what would be going on inside of those hospitals tomorrow. Where are those MDs that were on the news last night that said: “all is well…” Well, guess what! NO: all is not well! Did anyone ask how many of them have: interests at stake… like sitting on the Board of Directors, personal and monetary investments, political priorities… And SCABS you are disqusting!

MNA RN // June 9, 2010 at 10:56 pm | Reply

Please Dear Public:
If by any chance that you do need hospital services and we sincerly hope that you do not. Please bring in family members with you to advocate for you and to be your guardian angel. Ask questions! Stay alert! Be aware of the nurses and what they do! Be vigilant. Make sure they are being good nurses!

MNA RN // June 9, 2010 at 11:13 pm

Please view this:
Doctor: “I wouldn’t depend on the staffing in the hospitals tomorrow.”: http://wp.me/pMu8d-ct
about 1 hour ago via WordPress.com from West Seventh, St. Paul

MNA RN // June 9, 2010 at 11:34 pm | Reply

The broadcast stated:
The authors analyzed strikes in New York State over a 20-year period and found that inpatient hospital mortality increased by 19.4 percent and that readmission within 30 days increased by 6.5 percent.

So… are you going to believe the MDs with special interests, the hospital managers, the Million Dollar CEOs, the highly paid Public Relation Firms that the hospitals hired to come to this site to harass us on a regular basis and use “pretend names”, the hospital spokesperson Number Two (because the first one was a convicted criminal), the scabs that were hired and contracted out by: “The Scab Master” (CONVICTED FELON!) one of the SCAB companies that the hospitals hired to find (and I put this too kindly: replacement nurses) AKA: SCABS! (We sure hope they have real credentials and valid licenses!) Hired by guess who: The Twin Cities Hospitals! They do not tell the truth! They are not genuine.

NO! All is not well!
And that is WHY we will be walking the walk tomorrow!
P.S. To all of those who want to slam me for what I believe to be the truth… for having the guts to say it… for having a spirit that will stand up and fight for what is wrong and say enough is enough. Oh, well…
I am a MNA RN and I will stand and walk in SOLIDARITY tomorrow with my brothers and sisters! If you would like to talk to me face to face tomorrow and tell me to my face that you think that I am wrong… you know where I will be tomorrow! Let’s chat!

mna rn–You are a delusional crackpot, out there on the lunatic fringe. Since you have voted to abandon your post, who is supposed to take care of all the people in all of those beds? The NAs? The HUCs? The housekeepers? The patients have a right to RN care–they are paying members of the HMOs served by the hospitals. Care of people in need is necessary and morally right–you should be glad you have replacements working–RNs working for you so you and every other RN can avoid a public relations disaster. YOU have walked away from your work agreement, your job, your patients, and you think you have some indignant right to call these RNs the lowest form of humans? You owe them an apology. The MN Board on Nursing should reprimand you for engaging in unethical conduct for the purpose of public harm.

MNA BLOG FACILITATOR, if there is such a functionary, please banish forevermore this misanthrope from your site.

Veritas you are the nut. I think you are imbibing. Perhaps your name should be “in vino veritas”. She or he can voice whatever opinion he/she wants. I am little tired of this Florence Nightingale crap. We all care about our patience, and that is why we are having this fight. But guess what I also care very much about my mortgage,health insurance, salary and working conditions. I don’t do this job for free if I was so inclined I would join the peace crorps. Come to think of it, why don’t you join that way we don’t have to read anymore of your dribble. I bet your a pure delight to work with.

To Slyfox:
I looked up the definition of SCAB. I read many different definitions of what a SCAB actually was. And no where, absolutely no where in any of the definitions did it mention that a SCAB was a human being! I did however find some jokes and a poem that I really liked. If the insult fits then you go right ahead and wear it proudly. As you should. Hold your head up high and proclaim what you do. Walk in through those hospital doors holding your head up high instead of slithering in like a snake… Human beings do not disgust me, however… SCABS do.
If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck… it probably is… A DUCK!

RN’s have made the decision to strike tomorrow. Plans are in place and some excellent nurses are here to take care of patients. I am thankful for that. I have no worries about patient safety. These nurses are very focused on safety and providing excellent care for patients and also on developing a good working relationship with all who will be working with them during the strike. I am extremely impressed with the leadership at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. They have spent very long hours planning, developing and implementing the contingency plan. All communication has been respectful and truthful for employees, patients/families and our community. Leadership has provided very regular and up to date information so we can be prepared and know exactly what to expect. This, by the way, is the usual practice we experience from our leadership at ANW. As I reflect on this whole process and continue to try to understand how this has become such a painful experience for so many including myself, I can’t help but step back and think about the reasons I enjoy and am so proud to work at ANW. About five years ago Ken Paulus stepped in as interim president of ANW. His office door was open. He was out with staff really wanting to hear what it was like working at ANW. Ken is a servant leader and shared a vision of compassion, integrity, respect, stewardship and trust with all of us. He started us on a path of healing and rebuilding trust. He offered hope for some very exciting times in healthcare and great opportunities at ANW. A new and very positive energy was born. He was instrumental in bringing in our current president – Jeff Peterson who also has incredible skills for the both the business side of healthcare and the CARE side for patient/families AND Staff. Jeff is also a servant leader and very dedicated to our values as evidenced in every presentation as well as his daily walk as president of ANW. Also added to the leadership team around the same time was a fabulous VP of Nursing. Terry is so dedicated to nursing and has been instrumental in creating the type of environment where nurses thrive and develop professionally. Over the past few years patient satisfaction, RN satisfaction and employee engagement have increased tremendously – so much that other hospitals are wondering what we are doing at ANW to reach such a high level of satisfaction. I very proudly talk about ANW and am passionate about sharing the great accomplishments and care provided here. I and several family members have been patients at ANW and frankly I would not want to be a patient anywhere else. My Dad’s life was saved here at ANW after a very serious heart attack last year. According to my surgeon 8 years ago I was very close to becoming quadriplegic. Now, I am walking 35-40 miles a week because of the great care I received with two back surgeries, rehab and awesome and caring service from staff in the Institute of Health and Healing and the LiveWell Fitness Center. The opportunities for nurses at ANW are incredible. They are represented at every level of service and have many opportunities to voice opinions / concerns / ideas / questions. I could go on. There are so many things I value and appreciate about this hospital. ANW Nurses are at the top of my list. They are caring and respectful and very dedicated to providing excellent care of our patients / families. I witness that on a regular basis and I see the joy in their eyes as they share the personal stories of their patient experiences and the difference they made for them by their care and presence. Together we can all come through this time stronger so that the ‘loving arms of ANW’ are again welcoming in all people from all walks of life and all levels of care needs. These are my own personal thoughts / feelings. I am a REAL Nurse who cares deeply for this hospital and ALL of the employees and patients that are served here.

Really heart warming Linda. I have no doubt that Abbott is a decent hospital but I seriously doubt it is due to the leadership. Its more likely a result of the hard working nurses and the ancillary staff. My Mom went there for a heart attack and she also went to Mayo. I would take Mayo five times over, this is not say Abbott is a bad hospital but I fail to share your sentiment about how warm and fuzzy it is. I have a number of nurse friends and they do not feel the love that you do for Mr. Paulus. I have spent a life time around CEO’s and although many may have an open door policy it is more for show than anything. The President at United Hospital leaves much to be desired, she refuses to meet with employees and lives in her ivory tower where her lunches are served on a white linen table cloth and china. She is self centered, arrogant and a completely disagreeable person. Paulus hired her and I am sure she is taking her marching orders from him. I suspect it is good cop bad cop thing. In the end management cares about money above all else. Clearly they have to make tough decisions but if you feel they really value your efforts over profits, we would have a new contract. In my book he is worse than Ryba, she seems content to be a medusa and is unabashed at ahowing this side of her. Paulus is charismatic but in the end he cares only about profits and is more than willing to stick it to the employees in the pursuit of these profits. You may think I am a cynic but Ken Lay from Enron was allegedly an affable and well liked guy when he started, and we all know his story.

Linda, REAL RN, I am glad you are so passionate obout your job but it is time for you to realize the “loving arms of ANW” MNA NURSES ARE WALKING OUT @0700 because you have become severely disconnected from your mission statement and bedside caregivers.
Patients are the reason you are employed. Get It! They deserve safe care…And no one is willing to discuss these problems during negotiations? Talk about KARMA.

Believe me I know nurses are walking out of their jobs. I also believe some even at ANW are walking out while doing the attacks and abusiveness toward leadership. I also believe there are many who are walking out because they are fearful of their union and have accepted on some level the threats that have been told to them. Threats from the union AND unfortunately threats from their coworkers. That adds to my sadness over this process. I do not believe we at ANW are “severely disconnected from our mission statement and bedside caregivers”. That is proven through all the high satisfaction I shared in my previous blog. It is the leadership that sets the culture for the whole organization. Patients continually comment about the great care they have received at ANW and other Allina hospitals as well. Allina is well known and respected throughout the nation and even now the world. Although RN’s do a great job with patients, if it was ONLY RN’s creating that environment and no one else in the organization I don’t believe that would happen. Every time you are putting down and being abusive of leadership and making comments that it is only the RN’s who make it a great place you are also minimizing and even taking away the value of ALL the people who have a part in making the patient experience an excellent one. I again request for the disrespectful abusive language and behaviors to STOP. These comments are hurting RN’s too. In case you haven’t noticed the majority of the public are not supportive of your strike. The negative approach that MNA is taking is destroying public trust and destroying the image of nursing. That will take a long time to rebuild.

Linda, I salute you, one of the few RNs on these pages who has a constructive perspective. For all of you who have been so willing to tear down nursing’s image, let this strike action serve as a lesson–NEVER again should you allow people to come in to your jobsites to do your jobs. Demand a contract, and let’s get back to work.

As far as the public not supporting us. I am not sure that is the case. You are basing this on blogs which is far from scientific. Let me spell it out for you, if people cave in you can kiss a great deal of your benefits that have been earned by nurses before you goodbye. You people live in a fairyland. CEO’s do not care about you. An open door policy. Paulus did this because he was an INTERIM president so he was trying to curry good will with anybody and everybody. He could end this strike tommorrow. 10% of the nurses voted against striking and it is my experience that dissenters are always the loudest. If you look at the blogs most of the negativity is proffered by the same bloggers. These people are likely unemployed and bitter. In the end this strike will be won by solidarity. Linda why are you even in nursing, go into managment since you are so in love with Paulus and his cronies. Prior to becoming a nurse I worked in Marketing and with a number of CEO’s at different jobs. I can assure you that the front that they present is not the person they are behind close doors. They are paid to make profits, how ever they can, they will cut corners,lie and do whatever to accomplish this regardless of consequences. You need to wise-up. As far as Linda’s perspective being fresh-please, its born out of weakeness. You will undoubtedly cross the line as I suspect most of the 10% will when this thing go to an impasse. This generation is so weak compared to previous ones that it is shameful. If the members can not suck it up and stay strong when 14 hospitals have decided to strike then our membership is pathetic. The leverage is ours, do you really think they can replace 12k nurses? They are using scare tactics and many of you are wimping out. If I ever go to Abbott as a patient I hope my care is provided to me by a nurse that is more concerned about my outcome then by trying to placate management

Linda, while you may believe that leadership is living by its mission at ANW. I am here to tell you that it has changed dramatically over the past year. I believe if you would conduct a survey now and even six months from now you would find a different story. Leadership has conducted the bullying tactic, all the while sounding so nice and rosey. Leadership at Allina has not negociated in good faith and refused to discuss MNAs proposal, while lying to employees through the AKN. Lying about average wages of RNs. $80,000 per year, shame on you. This just pits non-contract with contract nurses. I have worked at ANW since the late 80s. I have never seen such a negative environment. It is the behavior of the Corporate leadership that has caused this. The RNs are MNA get it. I will say it again the RNs are MNA. We REGECTED the Allina’s proposal because it was intolerable and unconscionable. RNs have for years filled out unsafe staffing reports with management laughing at it and is some cases ripping it up. Allina is not in a recession. The have made sizeable profits and have given management sizeable bonuses. While RNs and other staff have taken voluntary time off. Then they have the nerve to complain about RNs wanting asking for a yearly raise for cost of living (this of course is completely negociable if Allina would negociate). When I was non-contract up until 2005, I received a yearly cost of living raise from 3-5%. Every non-contract employee received a cost of living raise last year. As you can tell I am pretty angry. Allina management needs to set this right. They are the ones responsible. I am a proud MNA RN. Management should be ashamed.

Be sure to check out the facts before you share them. How would you know that every non contract employee got a raise? Do you do the accounting? That is not a true statement and neither is the % raise. Look at the contract rate per hour and times that for a full time (2080 hours) salary and you will get around $80,000. Simple math. I have not heard any name calling, abusive language and threats from leadership but have heard / seen plenty from ‘proud MNA RN’s’. My messages have always included a request to please stop the name calling, disrespectful and abusive language. Very damaging to relationships as well as to the nurses and their profession. Make sure you can sort out with facts who is lying to you and who is telling the truth.

Oh, by the way the managers in my department have been WONDERFUL and supportive. I thank them and believe when we return it will be smooth and a pleasant environment to work. But the attitude toward corporate management will be negative for years to come. They’d better change for the good of their corporation.